Screw actuated pivoted arm planking clamps



April 17, 1956 M. E. WETZLER SCREW ACTUATED PIVOTED ARM PLANKING CLAMPS Filed April 5. 1952 w///J ///////i III III

IN V EN TOR.

5 gym 2,742,065 SCREW ACTUATED PIVOTED ARM PLANKING j CLAMPS Mair E. Wetzler, Flushing, N. Y. Application April 3, 1952, Serial No. 280,439 1 Claim. Cl. 144-298) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for shaping wooden planking to boat frames.-

A main object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient device whichcan be applied to the frame of aboat to quickly, efficiently, and readily shape the wooden planking to the frame at great saving in time and labor.

A further object isto provide a simple and efiicient devicewhich can be manufactured at low cost and is so easy to operate that it does not necessarily require the use of skilled labor.

Still another object is to provide a simple and eflicient device which can be quickly and easily applied to operative position and as easily and quickly disassembled and removed when desired.

Further and other objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the specification hereinafter set forth especially when taken in connection'with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a present preferred embodiment of the invention and in which: i i

Fig. 1 illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of a clamp embodying my invention secured to the side of a wooden ship undergoing construction, certain parts being shown in section for purposes of clarity;

Fig. 2 shows a front elevational view of Fig. 1 on a reduced scale; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the clamp taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In brief and general terms, the invention has been developed in response to the great demand for the building of boats with wooden hulls, especially wooden mine sweepers, in view of the wide spread use of and danger from magnetic mines during and since the last war.

The invention includes a clamping frame member fixed to a boat rib at a desired point, a movable clamping element on said frame, apressure foot on said element, and means cooperatively associated with the element and the frame to move the foot against adjacent planking surface with desired degrees of pressure.

More particularly, the invention includes a base plate to be lag screwed to a boat rib in a position with proper respect to a line of planking to be shaped to the ribs of the boat, a supporting arm projecting upward from the base plate, a clamping lever pivotally connected to said arm, a pressure foot on one end of the lever, and an adjustable screw associated with the other end of the lever and pressing on the base plate to pivot the lever and force the foot against the plank with desired force to hold it in place.

Still more in particular the lever is pivoted to the arm at spaced points by means of a removable pin and the pressure foot can be adjustably slid along the lever and set in any desired position thereon by means of an adjustable set screw.

Referring now particularly to the preferred embodiment form which the invention may assume and which is illustrated in the drawings, note is taken of the fact that the invention has to do with the shaping and afiixing of outer M" z742065 C Patented AP!" 6 2 I main. wooden planks to the ribs of boat frames. In the drawings, ribs 10"are in the accustomed manner covered with. layers of relatively thin inner and outer diagonal wooden plankingll and 12. g

To afiix the much heavier and thicker main wooden planks 13 in a manner which is efficient and expeditious is a problem where these planks have to be bent or shaped to adapt themselves to the shape of the hull along the outside of the ribs 10. These ribs, of course, are extended upward from the keel of the boat (not shown) in gradually changing curves according to the design of the particular hull and it has been not a very easy job to shape and fit the planking to the ribs without the expenditure of much time and labor- After the inner and outer diagonal planking is affixed, a hole is drilled through the outer and inner diagonal planking and into a rib to accommodate a A x 5" lag screw 15. Base 14 of a clamping device is provided with serrated feet 14 and is then bolted to the outer diagonal planking by means of the passage of the lag screw through a hole in it andinto the hole in the rib 10 which'holds the base firmly in place extending vertically in line with the rib to which it is fastened. The serrated feet dig into the outer diagonal planking 12 when the lag screw is tightened. T o the upper end of the base 14 is integrally connected a supporting arm formed of a pair of spaced apertured plates 16 and 16 having a series of alined holes. One pair of' holes 17, is illustrated near the top of the plates. Underneath the'foregoing is another pair of holes 18 adapted to receive a pin 21. As those skilled'in the art will readily understand, further pairs of holes can be provided in the plates for any desired adjustment. The plates protrude an appropriate distance from the base plate to permit suitable adjustment. In practice, it has been found that 'a distance of about nine inches or so has given satisfactory results. Furthermore, base plates of this size are wide enough to provide a platform to support a main plank prior to clamping. Such plates serve as a base for the wedging of a main plank'undergoing bolting against a bolted plank.

Pivoted on said pin 21 between the spaced plates 16 and 16 is a clamping lever of bell-crank shape having legs or limbs 19 and 20. The arm 20 of the clamping lever is apertured to pass a threaded clamping screw 22, the lower end of which will bear against the upper surface of the base 14 and the upper outer end of which has opposed operating arms 23 whereby the screw may be turned and pivot the lever around its pivot point to move the other end 19 either toward or away from the adjacent face of the main planking 13. For the purpose of guidand holding the end of clamping screw 22 in its proper position, a pair of spaced lugs 22a and 22b are provided on the outside of base plate 14.

Adapted to be pressed against the adjacent surface of the main planking 13, to bend and hold it in place until it can be permanently fastened in final position, as an oaken jaw or pressure foot 24 fastened to a back plate 25 by means of bolts 26. The back plate is provided with spaced apertured lugs 28 receiving therebetween an apertured car 29 and through these alined apertures extends a stud pin 27 thus forming a swivel joint between the pressure foot and a yoke plate 30 integrally connected to the ear 29 and receiving slidably therein the arm 19 of the clamping lever. An adjustable set screw 31 can be pressed against the side of the lever arm 19 to hold the yoke plate 30 anywhere along its length as desired, thereby increasing or decreasing the leverage which can be employed. The clamping lever may also use either of a pair of alined holes 17 and 18 to vary the throw of the pressure foot against the planking as desired.

Preferably, the particular plank being fitted into place is bolted or lag screwed at one end to the end rib and then moved into a rough approximation of the ultimate position. Clampsare then connected as above along the frame at every second or third rib, and the pressure feet thereof are clamped tightly against the topside planking to shape it firmly and closely to the shape of the hull and against the ribs. While the clamps are in place, the plank is permanently lagged down at the intervening unclamped points. After this has been done, the clamps are removed by first removing the pin 21 and then lifting out the lever and then removing the lag screw 15 and then the base. The clamp may then be applied again at other points further along the hull and the process repeated. However, after the pressure jaws are tightened down at several clamping positions, wedges such as 32 are driven in place between the bottom of the plank being clamped and the adjacent edge or face of the clamp base 14. This is to hold the plank even more securely in position until the final lagging down is completed. The pin 21 is preferably connected to the base 14 by means of a chain 21 so that it will not be lost.

It is, therefore, very evident that the device is extremely simple in construction and operation; that the clamping procedure can be readily eifected by unskilled workmen and with a great saving of time and labor costs; and that while being shaped into place, great pressure can be brought to bear rapidly and easily to form the planks along the hull and hold them in this condition until they are securely lagged down. It is also clear that the device can be produced at low cost and is one which is quickly and easily assembled for use and disassembled as desired.

It is to be observed that the present invention provides a practical and portable clamp which can be easily carried by one man. In practice, it has been found that clamps weighing about 30 pounds have given satisfactory service. When such clamps are separated in two parts, each part is sufficiently light to be easily carried and handled by one man. As those skilled in the art appreciate, such a feature is very important because the shipbuilders are working on scaffolds and staging high off the ground.

It is likewise to be noted that the improved planking clamp can be made of suitable material, particularly metals and alloys. For practical and rugged clamps, it has been found that suitable steel can be welded together to form the structural members and other parts can be made of cast iron, steel, malleable iron or the like as those skilled in the art will readily understand. In certain instances, structural parts can be made of cast iron, preferably a type possessing high strength, ductility and other properties suitable for service conditions.

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respect to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited to the particular details and form shown, since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence, it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A planking clamp comprising in combination a base plate having means for temporary attachment thereof to a boat rib below the line of a plank to be shaped to the hull of the boat, an arm integral with said plate and directed laterally in vertically spaced relation beneath a plank to be shaped, a pivoted lever of the first class mounted on the outer end of said arm, a pivoted pressure foot adjustably carried on one end portion of the lever, an adjustable screw member mounted on the other end portion of the lever and contacting the base plate to move the pressure foot against the plank to be shaped a pair of spaced lugs on said base to prevent lateral movement of said screw member, and a wedge having an under face seated on and supported by the inner end of said arm and the base plate to engage a plank to be shaped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 54,327 Glenn May 1, 1866 62,894 Sarage Mar. 12, 1867 490,143 Frank et al. Jan. 17, 1893 1,015,171 Goble Jan. 16, 1912 1,284,124 Mazier Nov. 5, 1918 1,490,063 Tower Apr. 8, 1824 2,322,707 Wetzler June 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS.

545,614 Great Britain June 4, 1942 

